November 22, 2014
Alex on two wheels.
This wasn't our first visit to Alex. We visited Alex back in 2013 when we came here as part of a community project for Mandela Day. This wasn't our first township bike tour either. Within weeks of newly arriving in Joburg, we did a bicycle tour of Soweto. So if we've been here before, and if we've done a bike tour before, why the repeat activity? I find that Joburg is like an onion, and it's only when you peel back the layers that you start to see how much there is to it, and this isn't something that happens in one visit or one activity. It means that even if we've "done it before", it's never the same, and there's always more to see and learn.
The one thing that struck me on our first visit, and continues to stand out now, is that while Alex is one of the poorest urban areas in the country, it is a stone's throw to Sandton- home to some of the wealthiest real-estate in all of southern Africa. The township started in the early 1900's, and today it is estimated that over 500,000 people live in Alex.
Another thing that I've often heard about Alex is that it is not safe. Even amongst locals, Alex does not have a great reputation. Remember when I wrote about the hand signals locals use for the taxis? Since that post I've learned that the hand signals generally represent some sort of feature about the place you're going- for example, the "town" symbol with the index finger pointing upwards represents the tower in the centre of Joburg, while the symbol for "Orange Farm" looks like you're holding a navel orange in your palm. To go to Alex, you make your hand into the shape of a gun.
So, if it's very poor, crowded and dangerous, why go? Well, like most things, it's not that simple. There is so much more to this place, and that is what inspired us to want to revisit it. There is an energy for life that is contagious. Alex is an important piece of the Johannesburg puzzle, and I felt that ignoring it would be doing a disservice to the lively people that call this place home. While there sometimes is a bit of controversy on "township tours" in general, I wanted to add in our two cents from this experience. The company we did the tour with, Alexandra Bicycle Tours, was started by a local Alex resident, Jeff Mulaudzi. Jeff wanted to create an income for his family while at the same time sharing the place he grew up with others. He wanted a way for people to come into the township and see what it's all about; to see that in Alex the kids play in the streets, people gather at a friend's house for a braai, while others go shopping or wait for a taxi. Alex is a living and breathing community with a vibrant energy that is often only known by its own residents.
Our "tour guides" were two friendly guys that wanted us to feel welcome in their community. They did so by inviting us into their family rather than keeping us at a safe distance from the locals and taking us to "approved" places. We stopped where we wanted to stop, and the tour seemed to be constructed a bit on the fly. It was really all about spending time in the community and taking it as it came. I felt like we were "part of the picture" rather than looking in on it.
And so, enjoy my photo-essay of our morning spent touring Alex on two wheels.
Note from the Editor: Since going on this tour back in November 2014, Xenophobia attacks occurred in Alexandra in April 2015. Emmanuel Sithole, a Mozambican man who lived in Alex and worked as a street vendor, was murdered. Smithsontheotherside dedicates this post to Emmanuel, from one foreigner in South Africa to another.
All set.
Heading off.
Saturday morning in Alex= kids everywhere!
Loving my red cruiser.
This little girl was very interested in us and hung out with me when we were visiting one of the heritage sights.
Learning about some of the community improvement activities happening in Alex and visiting an old church.
I got such a kick out of these two kids, begging M take their photo and posing like champs...
They were so pumped to see the results of M's photo shoot.
...and the pic M took of them.
Lively streets.
When I asked if I could take their photo, they immediately busted out the gangsta poses...
One of the guides was having a family gathering to celebrate his new niece, so they brought us by his house to show us what it was all about.
Traditional Potjie pot on the fire.
The guest of honour.
M and one of the guides chatting their way up the hill.
Note the absence of a pedal on M's right side. Pedals are overrated.
Sweet shop on the corner.
Visiting a local school in Alex.
Inspiration.
Happy bikers.
Biker selfie, plus M.
Possibly my favourite photo of the day: Our guide stopped to grab a cold drink from a shop, and parked his bike under this open window. The kids were so curious they leaned out the window to watch us.
Happy/curious faces.
Novelty of foreigners in the township.
Heading off the beaten track and leaving the paved road behind. The building on the left is some sort of government housing structure set amidst the corrugated tin huts of the township.
Standing room only: maneuvering our bikes down this narrow passage through the huts.
The kids love to click thumbs with foreigners- it is their equivalent to a high-five.
A bit of a creepy painting of beloved Mandela...but I like the sentiment.
"Alexandra celebrates your day!"
No comments:
Post a Comment